2/ Chlorophyll in plants convert sunshine into chemical energy to feed the plant.
Some fungi convert subatomic particles (including nuclear waste) into chemical energy to feed the fungi.
Reminder: bitcoin converts energy into money to feed the network.
Some fungi convert subatomic particles (including nuclear waste) into chemical energy to feed the fungi.
Reminder: bitcoin converts energy into money to feed the network.
3/ Why do leaf cutter ants collect leaves? Decoration?
Combining leaves + a few things laying around the house ( saliva, feces, bacteria) they create a compost farm providing food for the colony. The fungi benefit from life without competition.
Whose farming who?
Combining leaves + a few things laying around the house ( saliva, feces, bacteria) they create a compost farm providing food for the colony. The fungi benefit from life without competition.
Whose farming who?
4/ Planting crops with their favorite fungal ally makes them more heat tolerant, salt tolerant, and drought tolerant.
Effectively gaining the benefits of GMO crops without the baggage.
Effectively gaining the benefits of GMO crops without the baggage.
5/ Some fungi produce melatonin, used by humans/fungi to protect against harmful UV rays.
During the cretaceous period, the earth's geomagnetic field reversed, killing most organisms because of increased UV radiation.
but not melanized fungi.
During the cretaceous period, the earth's geomagnetic field reversed, killing most organisms because of increased UV radiation.
but not melanized fungi.
6/ Fungi are required to produce some of humanities favorite indulgences:
-bread
-beer
-wine
-spirits
-chocolate
-many cheeses
-bread
-beer
-wine
-spirits
-chocolate
-many cheeses
7/ All fossil fuels we use today came from the Carboniferous period
A period when fungi could break down cellulose but hadn’t yet learned to break down lignin.
This half decayed plant material was compressed and turned into fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are half digested plants.
A period when fungi could break down cellulose but hadn’t yet learned to break down lignin.
This half decayed plant material was compressed and turned into fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are half digested plants.
8/ Chile peppers produce their spicy “heat” to protect against the fungal pathogen (fusarium)
9/ The primary commodity of Tibet is the Cordyceps Sinensis mushroom.
In 2004, the tibetans harvested over 50k kilos of this tiny mushroom worth roughly $133 million USD.
Adored by the Chinese and performance/health conscious humans around the world
In 2004, the tibetans harvested over 50k kilos of this tiny mushroom worth roughly $133 million USD.
Adored by the Chinese and performance/health conscious humans around the world
10a/ Mushrooms we’re used as medicine throughout antiquity.
Only now we have the science to back it up
-Moldy bread was used to treat infection (penicillin later discovered)
-Native Americans used puffball mushrooms as styptics and to staunch bleeding
Only now we have the science to back it up
-Moldy bread was used to treat infection (penicillin later discovered)
-Native Americans used puffball mushrooms as styptics and to staunch bleeding
10b/ cont
-Midwives used ergot to induce labor
-Tinder conk is a natural fire starter
-Birch polypore is a “first aid kit” in your pocket. Anti microbial, staunch wounds, sharpen knives.
-US military uses Chitosan, made from fugal cell walls to clot blood in our “superbandages”
-Midwives used ergot to induce labor
-Tinder conk is a natural fire starter
-Birch polypore is a “first aid kit” in your pocket. Anti microbial, staunch wounds, sharpen knives.
-US military uses Chitosan, made from fugal cell walls to clot blood in our “superbandages”
11/ Medically speaking, there are many interesting compounds found in mushrooms:
-polysaccharides
-glycoproteins
-ergosterols
-triterpenes
-antibiotics
-polysaccharides
-glycoproteins
-ergosterols
-triterpenes
-antibiotics
12/ Today we can thank fungi for:
-Treating nearly all bacterial infections
-Steroids in birth control
-Steroids in cortisone/prednisone
-Statins
-Beano to reduce farting
-Brain development agents in baby formula
-Psilocybin/LSD are only known cures for cluster headaches
-Treating nearly all bacterial infections
-Steroids in birth control
-Steroids in cortisone/prednisone
-Statins
-Beano to reduce farting
-Brain development agents in baby formula
-Psilocybin/LSD are only known cures for cluster headaches
13/ "Pharming" is a process to create mass quantities of vaccines (or other dugs) with fungi
1- insert a gene that produces a vaccine into a bacterium
2- said bacterium is inserted into mycelium
3- mycelium produces millions of doses
4- cost of manufacturing drugs declines
1- insert a gene that produces a vaccine into a bacterium
2- said bacterium is inserted into mycelium
3- mycelium produces millions of doses
4- cost of manufacturing drugs declines
14/ Fungi are not picky eaters... they gladly consume:
-Microbial resistant chemical PCBs (Agent Orange, dioxins)
-Polyaromatic compounds (oil, coal, tar)
-Nitroaromatic compounds (explosives, herbicides, insecticides)
-Pesticides, cyanide, chemical warfare agents like VX
-Microbial resistant chemical PCBs (Agent Orange, dioxins)
-Polyaromatic compounds (oil, coal, tar)
-Nitroaromatic compounds (explosives, herbicides, insecticides)
-Pesticides, cyanide, chemical warfare agents like VX
15a/ Unfortunately fungi cannot break down heavy metals...
Instead they absorb them which leads to “bioaccumulation.”
In other words, fungi vacuum up all the nearby heavy metals and conveniently store them in the mushroom for us to collect and dispose of easily.
Instead they absorb them which leads to “bioaccumulation.”
In other words, fungi vacuum up all the nearby heavy metals and conveniently store them in the mushroom for us to collect and dispose of easily.
15b/ On the flip side, eating mushrooms with high levels of heavy metals is extremely toxic...
ie: deer eating toxic mushrooms which are then consumed by humans.
Or humans eating mushrooms from an old apple orchard that was formerly sprayed by arsenic
ie: deer eating toxic mushrooms which are then consumed by humans.
Or humans eating mushrooms from an old apple orchard that was formerly sprayed by arsenic
16/ Remember stone washed jeans?
They’re just jeans partially digested by a cotton-fiber eating fungi 😮
They’re just jeans partially digested by a cotton-fiber eating fungi 😮
17a/ "Obligate Endosymbionts" are organisms that evolved to live inside the cells of other organisms — one cannot live without the other.
Ie: plant X and fungi Y are inseparable.
Overtime, these married couples blur the line between individual species.
Ie: plant X and fungi Y are inseparable.
Overtime, these married couples blur the line between individual species.
17b/ "Inseparable organisms" lead to the "Endosymbiotic Theory:"
Cells of higher life forms (animals, fungi, plants) originated through symbiosis with bacteria.
Ongoing symbiotic relationships between organisms of different kingdoms may be the driving force of evolution 🤯
Cells of higher life forms (animals, fungi, plants) originated through symbiosis with bacteria.
Ongoing symbiotic relationships between organisms of different kingdoms may be the driving force of evolution 🤯
18/ All eukaryotic cells evolved by adopting their own “pet bacterium”
Enabled specialization with multiple organelles living inside a single cell wall.
ie: mitochondria (the cells power plant) is essentially a trapped bacterium forced to produce chemical energy for the cell
Enabled specialization with multiple organelles living inside a single cell wall.
ie: mitochondria (the cells power plant) is essentially a trapped bacterium forced to produce chemical energy for the cell
19/ Humans are covered with ectosymbionts - microorganisms that live on us and perform important chores for us.
They live on our skin, in our intestines, etc.
Ruminants (ie: cows) couldn’t digest grass without their bacterial flora inside their gut.
They live on our skin, in our intestines, etc.
Ruminants (ie: cows) couldn’t digest grass without their bacterial flora inside their gut.
20/ Humans should be considered super-organisms
We’re a colony of organisms containing fungi, bacteria, animal parasites, and permanently incorporated bacteria like mitochondria.
10 trillion microbial cells living on us.... exceeding human cells 10:1
We’re a colony of organisms containing fungi, bacteria, animal parasites, and permanently incorporated bacteria like mitochondria.
10 trillion microbial cells living on us.... exceeding human cells 10:1
21/ Our gut flora is a microbial colony that functions like a shadow digestive organ.
“I am me and my symbionts” — Elio Schaechter
Our personal microbial recipe defines us.
“I am me and my symbionts” — Elio Schaechter
Our personal microbial recipe defines us.
22/ Did you enjoy this stroll down fungal alley?
I encourage you to explore the parallels between biological networks (mycelium) and technological networks (bitcoin)
I encourage you to explore the parallels between biological networks (mycelium) and technological networks (bitcoin)
23/ We can use "entomopathogenic fungi" that kill specific insect species as a pesticide.
Harmless and targeted.
Big improvement over chemical pesticides (like DDT) that employ a scorched earth policy killing everything good and bad and leaving harmful chemicals in our soil.
Harmless and targeted.
Big improvement over chemical pesticides (like DDT) that employ a scorched earth policy killing everything good and bad and leaving harmful chemicals in our soil.
24/ Scientists found as many as 250,000 species of live bacteria in a single microscopic fungal spore.
Bacteria live in basically everything.
Bacteria live in basically everything.
25/ Laundry detergent and contact lens solutions contain fungal enzymes like lipases and pullulanases which remove grease stains.
We employ fungi in countless ways.
We employ fungi in countless ways.
26/ Fungi can breakdown harmful polymers and plastics we produce, ie:
-Polyolefins (food packaging)
-Polyethylene (plastic bags)
-BPA containing polycarbonate plastic
-Polyolefins (food packaging)
-Polyethylene (plastic bags)
-BPA containing polycarbonate plastic
27/ However fungi breaking down harmful plastics doesn't quite finish the job...
We need a secondary process (fungi or bacteria) to break down what the primary polymer eating fungi cannot
Then it becomes harmless to humans
We need a secondary process (fungi or bacteria) to break down what the primary polymer eating fungi cannot
Then it becomes harmless to humans
Fin/ Biology is technology.
and
Bitcoin is the mycelium of money.
and
Bitcoin is the mycelium of money.
